Missing the Magic

Like the majority of landscape photographers, I very much look forward to a colourful light show at sunrise or sunset. Few would argue that the special light sometimes on offer at each end of the day cannot add an element of magic to any landscape photograph. Recognising the quality of light is what sets us apart from non-photographers; I’ve lost count of the number of friends who catch me walking the dog around the village at midday on a clear blue day and ask why I am not outside taking photographs. When I say I would rather wait for a cloudy day and then head out at dawn or dusk, I get some very strange looks indeed. But, for all the magic a colourful sky can offer to a picture, there are some landscapes where it’s simply not necessary.

As with so much of photography, it’s a question of balance. Matching the subject matter with the light on offer is important to me. The coast offers a great example: rugged rocky coast works particularly well when photographed beneath dark moody skies. On the flip side, cloudless sunny skies are …

Read this and many more articles in High Definition inside Issue 53 of Landscape Photography Magazine.

About Author

Adam Burton is one of the UKs leading landscape photographers and author of five books. Since 2008 he has been working as a full time professional landscape photographer, regularly supplying imagery and undertaking commissions for a wide range of clients.